Reaching Your Dreams
by anne-of-memoirs
Summary: A story plot based around Deryn singing a folk song filled with happy, but extremely painful memories. I can't say much without giving it all away! With a hint of Dalek romance! My first fic.
1. Chapter 1

**Reaching Your Dreams**

This is my first fic. Well I've written a few, just never posted/published any of them. It's a song fic. Inspired by Morning Morgan Town by Joni Mitchel. After Alek discovers her secret. The POV changes so Il put a … every time it changes. The song is very beautiful! You should listen to it! Oh and I know my fic isn't very well written, but please review, criticism wanted and welcome!

Disclaimer: Characters, song, nothing belongs to me. Though I wish I was the one to create a character as BAMF as Deryn Sharp. I bow down to Mr. Westerfeld, and his ability to create awesome characters.

Deryn was quietly humming a little tune while taking Tazza on his morning walk. He needed a lot of exercise, or so the lady boffin said. His serene highness walked by and heard her humming this little ditty and asked what it was.

"Deryn, what is that you're humming?" I haven't heard anything like it before.

"Of course you haven't it's a folk song, and I bet all you've ever had your ears listen to was that stuffy classical yackum."

alek ignored this comment because of his overwhelming curiosity about this folk music.

Would you kindly just tell me the title of the song?

"Fine. It's called Morning Morgan Town."

"Could you sing it for me?"

"Uhhh, well umm I-I," Deryn sputtered.

"Please, I won't make fun of you voice."

Truthfully, she knew her voice wasn't rubbish. In fact, she had a wonderful and beautiful singing voice. It was the talk of the town whenever they were holding festivals. Children, women, everyone would jabber on about what she would be singing. And when she would start for fun on the streets, people nearby would gather 'round, stopping what they were doing just to listen to her sing.

But barking spiders, to even think about singing **this** song in front of Alek was wracking her nerves. She was afraid about what she might happen to her if she did.

"Do you absolutely have to hear it?"

"Yes!"

"Fine, let's go to my room. I'm not bloody singing in front of the barking crew!"

…

As Deryn led Alek to her room he wondered, was she really that bad of a singer to be afraid to sing in public, or was she just shy? But he knows deryn better to know that she's scared of anything, or shy! She was too bold of a person to be shy. Perhaps it was because of her feelings…. towards…. Alek shakes his head, as if trying to shake the thought out of his brain into the air.

He heard a snort from deryn. "What are you laughing at!" He asks.

"Well when you shake your head like that it reminds me of a sniffer trying to dry off after a bath!"

"Hmmph, I do not enjoy being compared to your godless abominations."

"Aye your princeliness, I understand. But it doesn't mean that I'll ever stop." Deryn smirks.

Alek rolled his eyes attempting to look annoyed, but failed miserably. He had too big of a grin on his face to actually look upset.

They stepped into the middy's room and closed the door. They stood, and looked around aimlessly, as if trying to spot the source of awkwardness. Finally, Alek broke the silence and said,

"So, are you going to start now?"

"Start what?" Deryn asked with a feigned innocence.

"Singing!" Replied Alek anxiously, for some reason, unknown to him, he really wanted to hear this song. But, he also knows that he should be in the engine pod with Hoffman, helping to fix the pistons that had blown yesterday.

"Please start." Pleaded alek.

And so, quietly she did start, singing so softly he was scared to even move, as he might not be able to hear her through the rustle of clothing. Her voice was beautiful. Clear, light and whimsical, like the voice of a mermaid. No, more perfect than that. An angel.

_When morning comes to Morgantown__  
><em>_The merchants roll their awnings down__  
><em>_The milk trucks make their morning rounds__  
><em>_In morning Morgantown__  
><em>

Deryn started to sing a little louder. With crisper consonants and vowels.

_ We'll rise up early, with the sun__  
><em>_To ride the bus while everyone is yawning__  
><em>_And the day is young__  
><em>_In morning Morgantown__  
><em>

Now she was truly into the song. Closing her eyes, and swaying to the waves of music she herself was creating. Alek could plainly see how happy she was, with that content, peaceful smile on her face. Alek found himself smiling as well, delighted to see a happiness he thought he would never see in her. _  
><em>

_Morning Morgantown__  
><em>_Buy your dreams a dollar down__  
><em>_Morning any town you name__  
><em>_Morning's just the same_

The song ended, and alek was sad to hear it fade into breathing.

"You have a wonderful voice, better than any of the royal Hapsburg singers." Deryn smiled, clearly pleased with his compliment.

Proudly she said, "Aye, your bloody right about that! I got invited to perform for the royal family, barking Queen Elizabeth herself! She said I had the voice of an angel."

"I agree. You looked like one too." Alek said, more to himself than aloud. Then a silence spread throughout the room that coated both their throats. A silence that felt impossible to break.

…

Abruptly, deryn's eyes began to water and she began to feel tears sliding down sliding down her face. Sobs threatened to wrack her body.

"What's wrong Deryn?" She could see worry and concern in his eyes.

"It's-it's, just-I-well," sobs interrupted her.

"It's okay, calm down. "He said, as he took her hand into his own. She held on to it tight.

She took a few deep breathes, and felt the sobs subside. And so she began her story, on why in bloody hell she started crying.


	2. Author's note

Hey everyone! Sorry to disappoint because this is an author's note. I have many ideas for the next few chapters but every time I try to put then down they never come out right! Typing and re-typing over and over agin I've figured I just need to step away and come back to it with a fresh and open mind. But then I realized I'm going to a Muskoka camping trip for a week! no technology allowed! (T-T) so there will be no updates at all this week. It's just a heads up but I promise I'll write an awesome **2** chapters for you when I get back, and I'll write them as quickly as possible! Thank you to everyone who reads!


	3. Chapter 2 Saving Each Other

**Reaching Your Dreams Chapter 2 **

**I'm back! It's finally out! Uhhh it took a lot of brain cells and time to think of which parts to do in whose perspective. it just wouldn't come out right! T-T I know that Great Britain doesn't use dollars! but give me some poetic licence I thank the one person who reviewed; it's what I'm sucking my writing power from! But please, I need my reviews! So please review! Uuhh I suck at bridging chapters, soo I'm trying to improve, but I know this one really doesn't connect to the previous chapter's ending, but bear with me! And the thing about the POV, I don't know the … thing isn't working, so I'm sorry if this chapter's confusing, and a little short. Thanks to everyone who's reading! **

Deryn really had tried her best to hold it in. To hold in her memories and tears and sorrow. At least from Alek, if not from herself. But it was just too blistering hard! Alek's eyes being so comforting, so warm, just so…. Safe. Just like Da's had been. That's what pushed her over the edge, just how much those eyes were like her father's. Just like when he pushed her out, singing those words with the most blissful look on his face, happy to be flying out to his beloved sky. Forever.

Alek really should've sent a message lizard to the engine pod; there was no way in hell he was going anywhere now, because he could tell she was in pain, from remembering something that happened long ago. But, he also knew it was something that brought her happiness. As he wracked his brain for something that could affect Deryn so much, he heard her take a deep breath, and say,

"Freaked you out, didn't I?" She let out a shaky laugh.

Alek responded, worry evident in his voice "Yes, Deryn you had, no still have me scared to death, and worried about you! Would you like to tell me what in the world is wrong?" He waited patiently in the silence for a story he knew would eventually come.

Deryn knew she had to tell him. She looked down, and gripped his hand even tighter. Bracing herself to for the rush of memories she knew would come through the story she had told no one but herself. With her body, voice and mind trembling, she began her story of the song and her Da.

"As you know, my Da took me ballooning from when I was a wee little thing. He died because of ballooning. No, he died because of me, and don't you dare say it's not my fault Alek, because you barking well know neither of us believes that."

Alek bit his tongue. He truly thought it wasn't her fault her father had died, but he knew what she meant. His parents' death will always be his fault, and no one could ever convince him otherwise. Deryn continued.

"Besides, I've long accepted the fact. Now, to get to the bloody barking point of this conversation." Deryn took a deep, and shaky breathe. "This song wasn't just some folk song I learned….. It was **our** song. "

Their flying song, for when they went out ballooning at the crack of dawn because they both knew ma would never allow it. Singing it while looking down at their miniaturized town doing just what the lyrics said. It was the happiest time of her life, but it was just too hard to remember it. Remember him, and what he said about one of the lines of the song. _It'd be nice if we really could buy our dreams a dollar down, eh Deryn _.She remembered him looking out at the sky so wistfully. And here she was living out what she knew was Da's dream. The dream he never even got a chance to achiev. She might accept that she was the reason her Da died, but she would never stop feeling the immense guilt.

The rush of memories and guilt was too much, and she couldn't speak. She just clenched her fist and Alek's hand, trying hard not to cry.

Alek was very worried. And scared. This wasn't the Dylan Sharp he knew. But maybe it wasn't Midshipman Dylan Sharp, dashing young soldier, but just Deryn. A brave girl trying to get to her dreams. And sometimes people are allowed to be hurt, to be scared, to be helped and comforted. Because no matter how heartless we Clankers are, and godless those Darwinists are; we're all only human. He grabbed her other hand and made her look into his eyes

"Deryn, it's okay. You don't have to pretend you're not hurt, or come off strong. Be scared; be hurt, I'm right here. I'll always be here. Because we save each other, and right now, I'm right here to save you. We have take turns, right?"

Alek saw a smile twitch at the corner of her lips, and she said

"You're bloody damn right about that, I've had enough turns for a lifetime."

Right then, she knew she had a shoulder to lean on and automatically she felt less afraid, braver. She knew she now had the courage to say what was pressing down on her heart. To let it out, and let it go. Deryn cleared her throat, and took her first step.

"It was our flying song. Mine and Da's, we sang it together when we went out ballooning at sunrise because if we went any later, Ma would've caught us." Deryn smiled a smidge. "Sneaking about was so much fun." Then she chuckled, remembering a particularly ill planned sneaking expedition which ended with her Da covered in flour.

As Alek listened and observed Deryn, he was confused. First she was happy, then crying, and now happy again? he still didn't quite understand why in god's wounds she was so upset. She seemed so happy talking about their flying song. It seemed as though all she could remember from the song was happiness. Why did she start crying?

Deryn saw Alek's expression, a pondering, slightly mad, and overly concentrated look. She knew he still didn't get it, knowing how oblivious and thick he is. But, she guessed that for someone on the outside looking in, she **seemed** happy to think of the song. Deryn sighed to herself, knowing she'd have to spell everything out for him.

So she continued.

"We sang it every time we went up there Alek. Every time, even our very last."

She choked out the next words. "He sang it as he pushed me out. And I fell, watching him sing, hearing the words echo in my head as I watched him get smaller and smaller; until he disappeared into our beloved sky. Alek, it's not just that I feel sad that this song reminds me that he's gone and never coming back, and it's not just the guilt of his death that's crushing me. It's the fact that I'm still alive, and up **here. **That one line echoed in her head, maybe more what Da said about that line, the way he looked to the sky; _Buy your dreams a dollar down. It'd be nice if we really could, eh Deryn._ It was always in the back of her head, reminding her that she doesn't really deserve to be happy.

Suddenly, everything clicked. Like gears, everything in Alek's head meshed together and he finally understood. Understood that she wasn't feeling guilty that she was still alive and her father wasn't. But that Deryn was up here, in the sky. Happy. He knew how she felt, he would always catch himself mid laugh or smile. The thoughts that he didn't deserve to be happy running through his head. But he needed to let this go. If he didn't he would never be able to help Deryn let it go. Their promise was to save each other, and it was his turn to step up to that, and help Deryn free herself.

**I'm sorry it was late! I had homework overload because of all my missed work from when I went to Muskoka. You know, I actually planned this to be less dramatic, and to have a lighter main theme. But as I wrote it, it got really heavy. So, the title actually doesn't match my story anymore. A misnomer! I'll add the chapter where the title came from, but it'll be like an epilogue. It still has to do with the song! **

**P.S. Please review!**


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